


When We Met

by Lady_Anon_x



Series: High I.Q Yet Totally Stupid [3]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Case Fic, Dorks, F/M, First Meetings, Hyperthymesia, Spencer Reid has a crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:22:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29161116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Anon_x/pseuds/Lady_Anon_x
Summary: The story of how Hallie met the rest of the B.A.U
Relationships: Spencer Reid/Original Female Character(s)
Series: High I.Q Yet Totally Stupid [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2139099
Kudos: 11





	When We Met

Hallie was working in a coffee shop. She hadn’t figured out what it was she wanted to do yet. Three PHDs and nothing to show for it. She gave a forced smile as a man out a few dollars into the tip jar. She tightened her ponytail, even tied up her hair was reaching her lower back.

The shop was busy today, mostly filled with nosey people because there was a dead body reported in the alley a block away. Something was different this time though, Hallie had read in the paper that there were three other bodies reported in the last three weeks, different causes of death so no one thought they were connected.

Until now.

Hallie watched as three faces she’d never seen before walk into the coffee shop. One female, long dark hair, black suit trousers and a lilac t-shirt, one male, bald, grey t-shirt and combat trousers, follow behind was another male, his hair was long, tucked behind his ears, his shirt was rolled up at the sleeves, gun clearly holstered on his hip.

These weren’t local cops.

The woman smiled at her, “Hi, could I get an iced late please.”

“Yeah, sure. Are yous ordering together?”

The man in combat pants grinned, “Together. I’ll take whatever’s cold and sweet.” He winked at her.

“I can do a mango iced tea?” Hallie suggested.

“Perfect. Make it a large please, Reid’s buying.”

The man with the long hair stuttered out a protest, “I paid last time!”

The woman rolled her eyes at them, “I’ll buy. Hurry up, Reid. I’m seriously thirsty.”

The man, Reid she assumed, fiddled with his tie as he looked up on the board before looking at Hallie and opening his mouth like a fish with no words coming out.  
Emily snickered before turning to Hallie, “He’ll take the biggest, strongest coffee you have with five sugars and an extra shot of espresso.”

Hallie smiled at the man who was still trying to form the words, “No problem.” She hit a few buttons on the till, “That’ll be $15.48.” The woman handed her over $20 and told her to keep the change. Hallie walked over to the machines and started making their drinks.

The three sat in the corner and Hallie watched as the older guy slapped Reid on the back of the head. To which he responded with a slap of his own.

She went over to clear the table beside them, “You guys don’t really seem like FBI agents.” She spoke as she stacked the plates on top of each other.

“What makes you think we are FBI?” the woman questioned.

Hallie shrugged her shoulder, “The way you’re dressed, you all have a weapon holstered to your hips and also there was a murder just up the street.”

The older guy raised an eyebrow at her, “Murder? No one said anything about murder.”

Hallie grabbed the stack of plates and faced the three, “It’s the fourth body in four weeks. It’s about time they called you.” She told them before she walked away back to the register. Not noticing the three agents gaping at her as she walked away.

Spencer, Emily, and Morgan walked into the station and into the room that they had commandeered for their investigation.

Hotch was sitting with J.J, Gideon and Detective Isla Bell, the lead officer on the case.

“We might have something.” Emily told them.

Hotch looked up confused, “How?”

“There’s been three bodies found in the past three weeks, correct?” Spencer asked Detective Bell.

She looked confused as she nodded, “Uh, yeah. Give me a moment.” She grabbed the files off her desk and came back into their room. “First victim, female, prostitute, blunt force trauma to the head.” She flicked through the next case file, “The next was a week later, female found washed up on the beach, drowned. Then last week, female jogger found in the National Park, multiple stab wounds.” She looked up at the agents, “You think they’re connected?”

Morgan shook his head and sat down, “Not sure yet.”

Gideon raised an eyebrow at them, “How did you know about this?”

Emily looked through the case file of the first victim, “When we went to get coffee, there’s was a girl working there. She knew we were FBI, she also told us that ‘there was a murder up the street’. We didn’t mention murder or the case at all. She told us about the other three bodies that were found in the last three weeks.”

“The press hasn’t released anything about murder either or that these cases are even connected.” J.J explained.

“So how does she know?” Hotch asked them.

Spencer looked over the case files, “These could be connected but it’s definitely hard to tell. Anyone would think that they’re separate occurrences when really it’s just escalation.”

“Our unsub is trying to find out the best way to kill. Or smart enough to cover their tracks with different methods.” Gideon finishes.

“Or these cases might not be connected at all. Prentiss, Morgan, start victimology. I’ll go to the victims house with J.J” Hotch orders.

“Spencer, you’ll come with me tomorrow back to this coffee shop. I want to speak to this girl.” Gideon told him and Spencer nodded.

“I don’t think that’s gonna be a problem.” Morgan snickered to which Spencer glared at him. “Pretty boy turned into a pile of goo and just stared at her. Couldn’t say a word.”

Emily patted Spencer on the arm, “It’s okay Reid. 187 I.Q down to 60 around a pretty girl. Happens to all men.”

Spencer sat silent and calculating as Gideon drove them back to the coffee house.

“Was their anything suspicious about the girl?” Gideon asked.

Spencer cleared his throat before he answered, “Not really. She was able to tell we were FBI just by looking at us. It’s highly perceptive but doesn’t warrant suspicion.”

“Telling us about a connection of victims definitely is.”

Spencer frowned, “You think she’s injecting herself into the investigation?”

Gideon shook his head as they parked the car. “I’m not sure.”

They walk into the coffee shop and the girl from the day before was no where to be seen. Spencer walked up to the counter, “Excuse me? There was a girl working here yesterday, uh really long ginger hair?”

The guy nodded, “Yeah. Why?” slightly suspicious of Spencer.

Gideon and Spencer took out their I.Ds.

The man looks confusedly at them, “Is she in some kind of trouble?”

Gideon shook his head, “No. We just need to ask her a couple of questions. Is she here today?”

The guy shook his head, “No, she called in sick today.”

Gideon and Spencer shared a look, “Do you have a name, address?” Gideon asked.

“Hallie. Hallie West. She has an apartment close to here, not sure where though.” He shrugged and excused himself to serve another customer.

Spencer and Gideon nodded and walked outside, Spencer leant against the SUV and took out his phone to call Garcia.

 _“How can I help you today baby genius?”_ her chirpy voice made him smile over the line.

“I need you to look someone up for me.”

“ _Yeah, go ahead._ ”

“Hallie West. She lives in an apartment around the Cosy Cup Coffee House in San Gabriel.” He could hear the keyboard keys clacking on the other end of the call.

_“Hmmm, I think I’ve got her. She lives three blocks from the café, in an apartment next to the nail salon. Apartment 3C.”_

“Thanks Garcia.” He hung up and told Gideon the area as the two then drove up the street.

They parked and made their way inside the apartment block. Walking to the end of the corridor and as they arrived at 3C Gideon held out his hand as he heard shouting inside. They both lifted out their weapons and Gideon banged on the door.

“Hallie West! This is the FBI.” He shouted into the door.

The door is wrenched open and a man stomped out, murmuring “ _Fucking freak._ ” Under his breath as he didn’t even notice the agents and stormed away.  
Gideon and Spencer looked at each other again before Gideon slowly entered the apartment.

“Miss West?” he called out again.

They walked in the door and the apartment opened in front of them, to the left was a small kitchen connected to the small living area. In the corner of the room was stacks and stacks of books, fairy lights, and a swing chair hanging from the ceiling. The rest of the apartment was very modern looking. Five different flannel shirts were lying around the room. Two closed doors to their right, which they assumed to be the bathroom and bedroom.

One of the doors opened and the two agents aimed their guns at a now shrieking Hallie.

“Jesus!” she put her hands in the air, she held a tissue in one hand and her eyes were red. Clearly, she had been crying.

“Hallie West?” the older one asked, her panic calmed down when she saw the FBI agent from yesterday standing there. Even if he did have a gun pointed at her.

“Yeah?”

The two put their guns away, “I’m Agent Jason Gideon and this is Doctor Spencer Reid. We’d like to ask you a few questions.”

“Sure.” Hallie nodded and made her way over to the front door to close it. She took a deep breath before turning back to the agents, “Can I get you anything to drink?”

Gideon smiled, “No thank you. May we sit?”

Hallie went into the plant corner and sat on the swinging chair as Gideon and Spencer sat down on her couch.

“Is everything alright?” Gideon asked.

Hallie sniffled, “Yeah, ex-boyfriend. Not important. What’s this about?” she asked.

“Uh yesterday you told my teammates and I that there was a murder up the street, the fourth body found, and it was about time we got called in.” Spencer recanted.

Hallie nodded, “Yes, that’s right.”

“We’d like to know how you know these murders are connected.” Gideon told her.

Hallie furrowed her brow at them, “Forgive me if this seems rude but isn’t that your job?”

Gideon smiled, “It is but we’d like to know what you know.”

Hallie huffed, “Well, I heard about the first body when I was walking home from work. Two night workers were chatting on the street about how Angel was dead, I figured that was the prostitute found. Then the next week, I hear in the coffee house that some girl was found washed up on the beach, not decomposed, just… dead. Drowned. Week after that I read in the paper that a jogger was found stabbed up in the national park. Three random murders wouldn’t happen at the same time, especially not by three different people.”

“How did you know the second victim was murdered when the papers said she drowned?” Spencer asked.

“She was fully dressed, no life jacket, so she wasn’t on a boat or at the beach.”

Gideon stared at her hard, “Suicide?”

Hallie tilted her head side to side, “Suicide by drowning only makes up for 2% of suicide attempts in the U.S. Half of which survive. Also, females are statistically more likely to try overdose than drown themselves.”

Gideon’s eyes twinkled as he got an idea, “Miss West, would you mind accompanying us down to the station?”

She fidgeted with her fingers, “Uhm, it’s Doctor, I didn’t get three PHDs for someone to call me Miss and why?”

Spencer thought he had died. Three PHDs? She looked like she was the same age that he is.

“You’re not under arrest. But I feel like we could use your help.” Gideon smiled.

“Oh, okay. Let me just get ready.” Hallie got up and pulled on a large yellow flannel shirt over her white t-shirt, she pulled on her trainers and grabbed her bag.

Spencer got in the back of the SUV beside Hallie as Gideon drove them to the station.

They sat in silence for a moment before Hallie smiled, “Just ask me.”

Spencer huffed out a laugh, “How come you work in a coffee house?”

Hallie shrugged, “It’s fast, sometimes, new faces every day, a different story to tell. I haven’t found my true calling yet.”

Spencer frowned, “How? You have three PHDs, how can you not have been poached by someone yet.”

“I’ve been asked a few times; I didn’t really want to be sitting in a dark room all day translating coded messages.”

Spencer couldn’t believe it, “You studied linguistics?”

Hallie nodded, “Uh huh.”

“Me too.” Spencer smiled and she grinned at him back.

“No way!” she turned in her seat to face him, “What was yours?”

“Patterns in people’s writing, how to tell if someone is under duress, how hard they use a pen or pencil, how the angle of their writing mirrors their mood.” Spencer explained to her also grinning.

“I did phonetics, hearing emotions in people’s voice, why they talk certain ways, emphasis, how to tell if they’re lying etcetera etcetera.”

Gideon parks the car and opens the door for Hallie to get out, Spencer climbs out behind her as the two keep talking and walking into the station. “I also find it odd how there can be two different words for the same thing, like defamation. In writing it’s called libel.”

“But spoken it’s slander.” Spencer finishes.

Hallie jumps excitedly, “Exactly!”

Gideon leads her into their conference room, she notices two of the agents she saw yesterday, along with a woman with blonde hair and a man with a very serious expression.

“Dr West will be helping us out on our case.” Gideon tells them.

Emily turned to Hallie at one point, “How did you manage to get three PHDs? You look barely twenty-five.”

Hallie didn’t take any offence and noticed the others subtly looking as well, they were all curious, “I’m twenty-four. I have this rare condition, hyperthymesia, which-”

“Hyper-what?” J.J asked.

“Hyperthymesia, it’s Greek for excessive remembering. An extremely rare condition that lets people remember an abnormal amount of their life-experiences in so much detail it’s like it’s happening right now. There’s maybe only ten people in the world diagnosed with it.” Spencer explained.

Morgan smirked, “So, what I’m hearing is she’s giving you a run for your money, pretty boy.”

A few hours later, Hallie sat in the conference room alone as she waited for the other agents to come back. They caught the man doing this and had left to go and make their arrest. She sat crisscrossed in her chair as she looked over all the case files. Something clicked inside her today. The way the others listened to what she had to say, took her seriously even though she was young. It felt right.

The team came back in one piece and had the guy in handcuffs, no casualties. Hotch had thanked her for her help, Emily smiled at her before turning and talking to J.J. Morgan put his hand on her shoulder, “Thanks, little red.” Which she laughed at.  
Looking outside he saw Spencer talking animatedly to Gideon who was looking right at her. The others noticed the two talking outside and tried to hide their smiles. They knew what this was about. Gideon then curved his finger in a come-here motion and Hallie left the room, passing Spencer as he made his way in, giving her a smile as she walked past.

“I want to make you an offer.” Gideon told her as he reached into his pocket and handed it to her, it was a card for the F.B.I’s Behavioural Analysis Unit . “You have so much potential that shouldn’t go to waste.”

Hallie looked at the card and back up to him, “You want me to be an F.B.I agent?”

Gideon smiled, “Consultant at first. Then, when you’re ready, take the test to become a full agent.”

Hallie’s vision swam as tears formed in her eyes, she looked back to see that all the team was smiling at her and she smiled back. “Thank you.” Hallie smiled and surprised the senior agent by giving him a hug.

Dr Hallie West walked into Quantico two weeks later with the biggest smile on her face.


End file.
